This invention relates to improved apparatus for tube gel electrophoresis for use in biochemical research and analysis.
Generally, devices for processing samples electrophoretically in separation gels are capable of processing one or more samples simultaneously, and usually include provision for maintaining a relatively constant temperature in the gel during the separation process. One such apparatus is disclosed in the present inventor's U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,271. Such a device must be completely assembled to define upper and lower buffer chambers and cooling chambers for controlling the temperature of the tube gels during electrophoresis. Consequently, the entire apparatus must be drained and disassembled to remove a single one of the tubes if it is desirable to terminate the separation process in any one of the gels contained therein. The disassembly is time consuming and untidy. Great convenience would be provided if an apparatus was available having separate unitary upper and lower buffer chambers and a cooling chamber so that assembly and disassembly of the apparatus could be undertaken with the chambers filled with buffer and cooling solutions respectively.